The best reason to retire in Mexico is the quality of life. In Chapala and Ajijic, I enjoy the sound of church bells, roosters and horses clomping down the cobblestones, which is my favorite. There's less materialism in Chapala and Ajijic, which I found wonderfully refreshing. Whether it was Christmas or any other time of year, there just wasn't this need to fill a void by buying things. Chapala and Ajijic has a slower pace of life for most people.
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The best reason to retire in Mexico is the quality of life. In Chapala and Ajijic, I enjoy the sound of church bells, roosters and horses clomping down the cobblestones, which is my favorite. There's less materialism in Chapala and Ajijic, which I found wonderfully refreshing. Whether it was Christmas or any other time of year, there just wasn't this need to fill a void by buying things. Chapala and Ajijic has a slower pace of life for most people.
It's so nice that people in Chapala and Ajijic greet you on the streets. It would be considered very rude to walk by a Mexican and not acknowledge one another, even in the big cities such as Guadalajara. When we walk into a restaurant in Guadalajara and we're passing a table of people who are eating, we’ll say “buen provecho”, which means, “enjoy your meal.” We always acknowledge each other. I find this custom really endearing and very charming.
(The church near the plaza in Ajijic, Mexico, pictured.)
There are several specialty furniture stores in the Algarve. There are also furniture stores in the big malls but what you could also do in Algarve is order furniture from the northern part of Portugal, which is one of the best-known areas for the manufacture of furniture using local woods.
There is place in the north of Portugal called Paços de Ferreira, which is essentially the furniture capital of Portugal. Often, people who want furniture made...
There are several specialty furniture stores in the Algarve. There are also furniture stores in the big malls but what you could also do in Algarve is order furniture from the northern part of Portugal, which is one of the best-known areas for the manufacture of furniture using local woods.
There is place in the north of Portugal called Paços de Ferreira, which is essentially the furniture capital of Portugal. Often, people who want furniture made from certain types of woods would have pieces made to order from Paços de Ferreira and have them shipped down to the Algarve.
We have a good amount of quality furniture in Portugal. The quality is very good and the pricing is incredibly great compared to international standards. If I were in Latin America and getting some local hardwood made by a local person, I am pretty certain that I could get it cheaper there but if you were moving to a country and wanted local handmade furniture out of cherry or oak, you would find the price and quality very good here in Portugal.
If you want ready-made furniture from popular brands, we do have IKEA, which is being built near Loulé, so for all those who want a modern, Northern European look, they can go to IKEA. At the moment, the closest IKEA would be in Spain, in Seville or in Lisbon, which is the capital of Portugal. Aside from furniture, you would also find stores that sell rugs, carpets, and accessory stores. There is one accessory store that we like going to because it is high end but not excessively expensive. It’s called A Loja Gato Preto, which literally translates to “the shop of the black cat”. They have some very nice home décor pieces.
(Hampshire dressing table available at the Furniture Store, an English company with an outlet in the Algarve, Portugal, pictured.)
What are the best opportunities to do volunteer and charity work in Belize?
Boris Mannsfeld - Boris Mannsfeld & Associates
There are lots of good opportunities for volunteer work here in Belize. The humane society is very active in Belize, especially in Placencia. Rotary is very active in Belize, also especially in Placencia. There are also church groups. There are also a lot of volunteers from the States that come down and do missionary work, and medical work here in Belize. They'll come down and do work for a week for free. They have dental missions, eye exams and all that is for free.
There...
There are lots of good opportunities for volunteer work here in Belize. The humane society is very active in Belize, especially in Placencia. Rotary is very active in Belize, also especially in Placencia. There are also church groups. There are also a lot of volunteers from the States that come down and do missionary work, and medical work here in Belize. They'll come down and do work for a week for free. They have dental missions, eye exams and all that is for free.
There are art festivals held here in Belize, which are events which people can volunteer to help set up or get involved selling tickets. A lot of expats, no matter who they are or where they come from, do something new or do something different to help out, so there's always volunteer activity available in Belize.
How are the stores and shops in Boquete, Panama? How's the shopping in Boquete, Panama?
Lissy Lezcano - Lissy Lezcano Attorney & Mediator
You have to come down to David to shop if you want to buy clothes, shoes, electronics, and other things that you might need because you don’t have a lot of selection in Boquete. It takes about 35 to 45 minutes to get to David from Boquete.
Once you get to David, the shopping is very nice because you have a lot of selection and a lot of stores to from which to choose. David has a couple of malls. They are not that...
You have to come down to David to shop if you want to buy clothes, shoes, electronics, and other things that you might need because you don’t have a lot of selection in Boquete. It takes about 35 to 45 minutes to get to David from Boquete.
Once you get to David, the shopping is very nice because you have a lot of selection and a lot of stores to from which to choose. David has a couple of malls. They are not that big so if you really want to go to a big mall, then you have to go to Panama City.
You can get everything you need in David but if you want a specific brand, then you might have to travel to Panama City to get that. Exclusive clothes and shoes could also be found in Panama City. I don’t travel to Panama City that much just to shop. I go maybe four or five times a year. I don’t find the need to go there all the time.
Panama City holds lots of concerts nowadays and that’s one of the major reasons people like to go there. If you are in David and you want to go to a concert in Panama City, you could take the bus, fly, or drive there.
How much does it cost for a gardener in Nicaragua?
Frank Martínez
A gardener in Nicaragua costs about 400 to 500 Cordobas (around US $15) per day for when they come once a month.
Most gardeners can finish the job in one day, unless you have a very large property. Most gardeners like to work early in the morning before the sun gets too hot and they work for about 2 or 3 hours. They will do everything from trimming the trees, watering the plants, trimming the grass, etc. within 3 hours.
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A gardener in Nicaragua costs about 400 to 500 Cordobas (around US $15) per day for when they come once a month.
Most gardeners can finish the job in one day, unless you have a very large property. Most gardeners like to work early in the morning before the sun gets too hot and they work for about 2 or 3 hours. They will do everything from trimming the trees, watering the plants, trimming the grass, etc. within 3 hours.
Sometimes, there will be two gardeners, but you still pay them $15 for the day, total.
What do I need to know about international pet shipping, international pet travel, and international pet transport?
Alan Stone - Pedasi Palms | Gated Condominium Community
What do you need to know about international pet travel to Panama? From personal experience traveling with our dog from the states to Pedasi, Panama was a bit stressful doing it by ourselves but it can be done.
It's all about timing and making sure you are in contact with the Panamanian consulate and the Ministry of Health in Panama.
Below is a list of what you will need to travel with Pets to Panama. You can obtain...
What do you need to know about international pet travel to Panama? From personal experience traveling with our dog from the states to Pedasi, Panama was a bit stressful doing it by ourselves but it can be done.
It's all about timing and making sure you are in contact with the Panamanian consulate and the Ministry of Health in Panama.
Below is a list of what you will need to travel with Pets to Panama. You can obtain information by visiting the Embassy of Panama online. Click on Services then click on Consular services and then scroll down and click on Traveling with Pets.
1. Fill out the form Quarantine for Domestic Animals (Home quarantine costs approx $130) 2. USDA Sanitary Certificate, signed and sealed by USDA Vet and signed by the pet's vet 3. Vaccinations Certificate for Rabies. 4. Fee: $30.00 (money order or certified check). 5. Self-addressed prepaid envelope for return of documents.
All of the above needs to be done within a 10 day period. So be sure and use Fed-ex when sending documents. Also be sure and check with your airline for further guidelines for your pet.
NOTE: Fax the completed Quarantine for Domestic Animals form to (507) 212-9449 or (507) 238-4059 or email it to the Ministry of Health in Panama. This form must be sent to the Ministry of Health authorities 3 days prior to your arrival in Panama. I highly recommend taking a copy of your reply from them because they said they never received mine and I sent it twice. They almost refused me and my dog because of this.
With fees, vet bills and Fed-ex charges It cost several hundred dollars to do this but worth every penny :)
Las Posadas is the name for the popular celebrations in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, the United States and Panama during the nine days before Christmas (December 16-24). Las Posadas (which is Spanish for the “inns” or “lodging”) relates to the search by Joseph and Mary for a place to stay in Bethlehem.
This tradition began in Mexico in 1586 when Catholic...
Some things in life we earn, and others, we don’t.
We use many names to describe the things that happen to us that we don’t earn, including “fate,” “destiny,” “God’s will”, “luck,” and my personal favorite: “dumb luck.”
Robert and Isabelle Shahverdians found the place that eventually became La Rosa de Los Vientos in Pedasi, Panama after they had traveled Costa Rica and found it wanting. They then moved around Panama, to see if there was something better.
In the environs of Pedasi, they found a place where the road had few inhabitants and came to a bit of land that faced the Pacific, around a small bay lapped by quiet waves. It was there that they made their spot at the end of...